Sumo-Bot (TSA and Science Olympiad Rules)

This is my Sumo-Bot for my Technology Students Association (TSA) club http://www.nystsa.org/ . This robot also fits in with all Science Olympiad rules as well. Basically for the event you have to build a sumo bot that fits all of the requirements of the rules and compete the robot against other robots. to start the match you have to first prove that your robot can move my moving out of your box and hitting a tennis ball, then you are allowed to start to go after your competitor. The first robot to completely push the other robot out of the black ring wins. the bouts are 2 minutes long, if there is a tie or time runs out the lightest smallest robots wins. the robots can weigh up to 2 kilograms or about 4.4 pounds. and they have to fit in 40cm x 40cm x 40cm box. after reading all of the rules I realized that we needed to make the bot as small and as light as possible so if there is a tie, i win. i also realized that if my bot was that small we needed to have and offensive and defensive weapon (sort of). but since we cant have weapons i had to go with a plow that can actuate and possibly pick up other robots. since our robot is going to be small and light we need to be able to get out of danger really fast. so i had designed a robot that has a actuating plow, is very small, very fast and very light. This instructable will go through my process of designing and constructing my sumo bot.
( just a note this instructable was made after my competition for TSA and my robot got first place and was the lightest and strongest robots. so all of the pictures will be of parts that were made and not being made). 

Step 1 Materials

For materials I used 
4 X micro metal gear motors with 100/1 gear ratio http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/IL-GMS100.html
1 X sabertooth 5 amp dual motor controller http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/0-SABER2X5-RC.html
1 X Track set http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/IL-TKT1.html
2 X 2 channel 2.4 gigahertz TX and RX ( got them from old RC cars)
2 X High torque metal gear servos http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/0-HRC32645S.html
4 X PC standoffs from radioshack 
1 X 1000 mAh 7.4v LIPO battery http://www.robotmarketplace.com/products/0-PE10002S-20C.html
1 X 1100 mAh 7.2v NiMh (from old LOSI rock crawler)
1 X speed controller (from old LOSI rock crawler)
1 X signal doubler http://www.performance-hobbies.com/
1 X sheet of acrylic
some velcro tape
2 feet of .5 X .5 right angle aluminium
some spare sheet metal 
5.5in X 3.5in X 1in aluminium block ( for chassis)

Comments

[mbaker16]

haha, I remember going against you last year, you kicked my butt.